Device for germinating and drying malt

ABSTRACT

A device for effecting the germination and the drying of malt comprising vertical stack surrounded by several superimposed horizontal circular working chambers, each containing a horizontal rotatable rack upon which the malt to be treated is deposited. The circumferential wall of the stack is provided with adjustable ducts for the passage of drying air coming from a blower arranged in the stack and is conducted into the working chambers. Side stacks are arranged side by side and on the outside of the vertical stack and some have ducts which connect some of the adjacent side stacks with each other and with the working chambers for effecting a desired guide of the drying air into the working chambers, while one of said side stacks contains a blower for the germination of air and the other side stacks contain the drive devices for the malt turning-over mechanism for the vertical adjustment of the malt feeding mechanism and for the rotation of the racks.

United States Paten Schlimme et al. v

[ Nov. 19, 1974 DEVICE FOR GERMINATING AND DRYING PrimaryExarrtiner-Alvin E. Tanenholtz MALT Attorney, Agent, or FirmHill, Gross,Simpson, Van [75] Inventors: Gisbert Schlimme, Braunschweig; Samensteadman Chlara & Slmpson Manfred Tschirner, Wolfenbuttel, both ofGermany ABSTRACT [73] Assignee. Miag Muhlenbau und Industrie A devicefor effecting the germination and the drying GmbH Braunschweig Germanyof malt comprising vertical stack surrounded by several superimposedhorizontal circular working cham- Flled? P 1972 bers, each containing ahorizontal rotatable rack upon which the malt to be treated isdeposited. The circum- [211 App! 245,514 ferential wall of the stack isprovided with adjustable ducts for the passage of drying air coming froma [30] Foreign Application Priority Data blower arranged in the stackand is conducted into the May 3, 1971 Germany 2121586 working chambers.Side stacks are arranged side by side and on the outside of the verticalstack and some [52] US. Cl. 195/129 have ducts which connect some of theadjacent side [51] Int. Cl. C12c l/l4, Cl2c 1/06 stacks with each otherand with the working chambers [58] Field of Search l95/l3l, 129, 128 foreffecting a desired guide of the drying air into the working chambers,while one of said side stacks con- [56] References Cited tains a blowerfor the germination of air and the other UNITED STATES PATENTS sidestacks contain the drive devices for the malt turning-over mechanism forthe vertical adjustment of the 915,968 3/1909 Kirkpatrick l95/l28 maltfeeding mechanism and for the rotation of the racks.

5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 1 l 1. ll

I n 1 a HI I 0 31 L z usy'ge oeyclj r]i & 0 a 9: a n 17 1a 2 1 1 .i

L i l 1 20 22 o b o l I o 2 :11. 1 u iht' o M. 1 u |i| e y A aofiYeWu/oYncfill c 8 i e E llllllllllll 23 1 I I ll' u 4 a Ll: a v a n eDEVICE FOR GERMINATING AND DRYING MALT The invention relates to a devicefor the germination and drying of malt on several superimposed rackstructures arranged to be rotatable about a vertical hollow shaft orstack.

Devices of this type have the advantage of being capable of processing aplurality of charges found in different processing stages in a singletowerlike structure of small floor space. In this connection, it is aparticular object of the invention to arrange at least two processeswith reference to the air-flow consecutively, whereby the latterlikewise is to be utilized at least twice. Therefore care is to be takenin the continuing need for saving in cross-section of the device, toprovide several air conducting hollow shafts or stacks, which permit theprocessing chambers containing the rotatable circular rack structures tobe connected with each other as well as also with the air-inlets and-outlets and to other processing points.

The mentioned requirements in the case of the devices according to theinvention described in the foregoing, may be attained thereby that theair conducting stacks are arranged side by side and are repeatedlyconnected with each other by ducts and serve for the airflow, whileother of said side by side stacks contain conveyors or drives forgerminating air and malt, respectively, whereby at least one verticalside stack is divided into superimposed chambers with intermediaryfloors, each of which supports a blower serving for the germinatingprocess. Furthermore, upper chambers above the intermediary floors areprovided with ducts which discharge air above the rack structures to theadjacent upper working chambers, and ducts leading to at least oneair-guiding side stack, while lower blowerchambers disposed below theintermediary floors lead to the adjacent lower-working chambers and haveducts discharging air under the rack structures, ahead ofair-processers. A further side stack, which also may be divided intosuperimposed chambers may be so arranged as to receive the drive meansfor turn-over devices, for a vertically movableloadinganddischarging-worm and for rotating the rack structures.

The invention is described in greater detail in the following on thebasis of an embodiment by way of example, which is shown in thedrawings.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a vertical sectional view along the brokenline II of FIG. 3;

FIG. 2 shows a vertical sectional view along the line 11-11 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view along the broken line lII-III ofFIG. 1, and

FIG. 4 shows diagrammatically four superimposed operating chambers A toD and serves for the explanation of some possible processing procedures.

Referring to the drawings, the device is provided with a circular basicchamber 1 having a central cylindrical stack 7 with a blower chamber 10at the bottom thereof with a drying air channel 8 at one side of saidstack. About the chamber 1 are a plurality of superimposed workingchambers. Each of said working chambers is divided by a circular rackstructure 13 for the malt. The drying rack provides each chamber into anupper chamber 12 and a lower chamber 11. The blower chamber 10 has ablower 14 in the bottom thereof. The

inlet side of said blower is connected with the dryingair-channel 8, aplurality of fuel nozzles 15 arranged along the floor of said drying-airchannel 8 for heating the air therein and supplying heated air to theblower 14. The wall of the stack 7 hasducts 18 leading to lower workingchambers 11. The ducts 18 are closable by doors 17. In the air stack 7is located a vertically movable floor 16, disposed above those ducts 18through which drying air in each case is to be conducted into therespective chambers 11-.

Adjacent the basic chamber 1, 8 and the working chambers ll, 12 arearranged several vertical stacks 2, 3, 4,- 5 and 6. Of these, the stacks2 and 4 are used for additional air, while the stack 5 is used forcirculating dryer air. The vertical stack 3 is divided vertically in thesame degree as the working chambers 11, 12 are present, namely intoaerating upper chambers 31 and into aerating-lower chambers 32. Betweenthe same are arranged the germinating air conveyor 33, which may feedair from the upper chambers 31 into the lower chambers 32.

The aerating upper chambers 31 have ducts 19 leading to the upperchambers 12, ducts 20 leading to the supplemental air stack 2, ducts 21leading to the supplemental stack 4 and ducts 22 leading to the outside.The aerating lower chambers 32 have ducts 23 leading to the lowerworking chambers 11, ahead of which are arranged the air processers 34.In these, the germinating air is adjusted as regards temperature,moisture and, if need be, also the pressure is adjusted. The auxiliarystack 2, which preferably is not divided, isprovided with ducts 24leading into the upper working chambers 12 and also has ducts 25 leadinginto the lower working chambers 11. The air stack 4 hascorrespondingducts. In both stacks 2 and 4 for supplemental air may be arrangedvertically movable floors similar to the floor 16 in the shaft 7 for thedrying air, in order to increase the operating possibilities.

Adjacent the vertical stack 4 for supplemental air is arranged thevertical stack 5 for the circulating drying air. The stack 5 has ducts26 leading to the upper working chamber 12 and discharges below throughthe duct 28 into the channel 8 for drying air. Below the stack 5 islocated a channel 9 for fresh air used for drying. This channel 9 isconnected. by an duct 29 with the channel 8, ahead of which is arrangeda condenser 35, through which may be drawn the fresh air and, in whichwater is precipitated in cooling devices, for example for the airprocesser 34. The upper working chambers 12 have ducts 30, leading tothe outside. The cross-section of all of the ducts 18 to 30 may beadjusted, for example by means of louvers or shutters, as indicated eachby a dotted line.

The vertical stack 6 has mounted therein the drive motors 36 for theturn-over devices 37, the drive motors 38 for rotating the circular rackstructures 13, the details of which have not been shown, because theyare of conventional construction, as well as the drive motors 39 for theloadingand discharge worms 40, which may be moved vertically. Thevertical stack 6 is divided according to the number of the superimposedcircular rack structures 13. The vertical stack 6 also contains theconduits 41 for the loading and conduits 42 for the unloading anddischarging of the processed material.

- Each annular rack structure 13 may be driven individually, and each isprovided with a turn-overdevice 37 and a loadingand discharge-worm 40.

The basic chamber 1 may contain the control devices work-places andconveyors, for example the discharger for the unload-conduit 42. Thestack 5 for the circulating drying air may in case of necessity besubdivided by a wall 43 indicated by dash-dotted lines.

Possibilities of operation will now be described in the following withreference to FIG. 4. Stage A illustrates the germination operation withcirculating air, air admission and air exhaust air toward stage B. Thegermination airconveyer 33 draws fresh air along the path m (duct 22 inFIG. 2) 'into the upper aeration chamber 31 and presses it from therealong the path n through the lower aeration chamber 32 through thegerminationair-processer 34 into the lower working chamber 11 (duct 23,FIG. 1). The air conditioned in the germinating air processer 34penetrates the circular rack structure 13 and returns partially in aircirculating operation along the path q (duct 19 in FIG. 1) into theupper aeration chamber3l, in order to be turned over anew. Another partof the air which has penetrated the circular rack structure 13, flowsalong the path p (duct 24 in FIG. 1) through the supplemental air stack2 toward the stage B in which likewise germination procedure is carriedout, namely in corresponding manner by air circulation along the pathst, u and w, whereby a portion of the exhaust air from the stage A may beadded along the path p. The other portion of the air flows along thepaths v to the outside (duct 30 in FIGS. 1 and 2).

In stage C the drying operation is carried out. For this purpose, thevertically movable floor 16 is brought to the level of the correspondingcircular rack 13, so that the hot air coming from the blower 14 isconducted along the path a into the air stack 7 and from-here (throughducts 18 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) flows along the path b into the chamberbelow the circular rack 13. The air then flows partially back along thepaths 0, d through the air circulating shaft 5 and along the path f tothe blower 14, whereby along the path e, fresh air may be added which isdrawn in by the condenser 35. Another part of the exhaust air comingfrom stage C flows over the circular rack 13 along the path g and hthrough the supplemental air stack 4 to the stage D, where it is drawnpartially from the germinating air conveyer 33 along the path x. On theother hand, it may reach along the path y into a chimney and into theatmosphere. Furthermore, at the stage D, is performed as alreadydescribed, a germinating operation with circulating air along the pathsi,j and l, with supplemental air along the paths h and x as well as withexhaust air along the paths i,j and k.

The described possibilities illustrate only a small selection and showhow a device according to the invention may use the heat still presentin the drying exhaust air for the purpose of germinating air having aparticular condition, and to carry out several processes arranged inparallel and partly connected consecutively. This amounts to animportant increase in economy, to a good operation and a favorablemaintenance of the installation. In this connection the multiple use,possibly appearing as a disadvantage, of the germinating air conveyor 33and the germinating air processer 34, which make possible the individualworking of each stage, is more than compensated for.

What we claim is:

1. In a malt drying and germinating apparatus, a basic chamber having agenerally cylindrical wall,

a central vertical stack spaced radially inwardly of said cylindricalwall,

vertically spaced horizontal walls extending from said cylindrical wallto said stack, and dividing said basic chamber into a plurality ofindividual superimposed working chambers,

a malt drying and germinating rack in each working chamber between saidhorizontal walls and dividing each working chamber into an air inletchamber beneath said rack and an air outlet chamber above said rack,

air inlet ducts leading into each inlet chamber beneath the associatedrack thereof,

door means in each air inlet duct varying the volume of air suppliedthrough said inlet ducts,

an air outlet duct leading from each air outlet chamber adjacent the topthereof,

door means for varying the flow of air through said outlet ducts,

an air circulating blower at the bottom of said central stack,

an air heating chamber at the bottom of said basic chamber and havingheating means therein,

an air inlet duct leading from said heating chamber to said blower,

another air inlet duct admitting air at ambient temperature to said airheating chamber,

air circulating means disposed outside of said working chambers andhaving communication with said air outlet ducts leading from said airoutlet chambers for withdrawing spent air therefrom,

conveyor means in each working chamber above the associated rack forconveying malt thereonto,

malt turnover means adjacent said conveyor means for turning over themalt on each rack,

individual drive means on the outside of said working chambers adjacenteach conveyor means for turning over the malt on the associated rackduring heating and germinating thereof,

said racks being mounted for turning movement about said workingchambers and turning thereabout during drying and germinating of themalt and being individually driven and accommodating the circulation ofair therethrough.

2. The malt drying and germinating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the aircirculating means on the outside of the working chambers also includes aplurality of side-by-side outlet stacks having communication with saidair outlet ducts for drawing air therefrom.

3. The malt drying and germinating apparatus of claim 2, wherein atleast one of said side-by-side stacks has a horizontal partition thereinadjacent the bottom and top of each working chamber, and wherein the aircirculating means comprises an air circulating blower between said topand bottom partitions for recirculating air in said working chambers.

4. The malt drying and germinating apparatus of claim 2, wherein atleast one of said side-by-side outlet stacks has a duct therein for eachworking chamber to accommodate the passing of spent air to theatmosphere.

5. The malt drying and germinating apparatus of claim 1, wherein abaffle in the form of a vertically bers.

1. IN A MALT DRYING AND GERMINATING APPARATUS, A BASIC CHAMBER HAVING AGENERALLY CYLINDRICAL WALL, A CENTRAL VERTICAL STACK SPACED RADIALLYINWARDLY OF SAID CYLINDRICAL WALL, VERTICALLY SPACED HORINZONTAL WALLSEXTENDING FROM SAID CYLINDRICAL WALL TO SAID STACK, AND DIVIDING SAIDBACIC CHAMBER INTO A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL SUPERIMPOSED WORKINGCHAMBERS, A MALT DRYING AND GERMINATING RACK IN EACH WORKING CHAMBERBETWEEN SAID HORIZONTAL WALLS AND DIVIDING EACH WORKING CHAMBER INTO ANAIR INLET CHAMBER ABOVE SAID RACK, AND AN AIR OUTLET CHAMBER ABOVE SAIDRACK, AIR INLET DUCTS LEADING INTO EACH INLET CHAMBER BENEATH THEASSOCIATED RACK THEREOF, DOOR MEANS IN EACH AIR INLET DUCT VARYING THEVOLUME OF AIR SUPLIED THROUGH SAID INLET DUCTS, AN AIR OUTLET DUCTLEADING FROM EACH AIR OUTLET CHAMBER ADJACENT THE TOP THEREOF, DOORMEANS FOR VARUING THE FLOW OF AIR THROUGH SAID OUTLET DUCTS, AN AIRCIRCULATING BLOWER AT THE BOTTOM OF SAID CENTRAL STACK, AN AIR HEATINGCHAMBER AT THE BOTTOM OF SAID BASIC CHAMBER AND HAVING HEATING MEANSTHEREIN, AN AIR INLET DUCT LEADING FROM SAID HEATING CHAMBER TO SAIDBLOWER, ANOTHER AIR INLET DUCT ADMITTING AIR AT AMBIENT TEMPERATURE TOSAID AIR HEATING CHAMBER, AIR CIRCULATING MEANS DISPOSED OUTSIDE OF SAIDWORKING CHAMBERS AND HAVING COMMUNICATION WITH SAID AIR OUTLET DUCTSLEADING FROM SAID AIR OUTLET CHAMBERS FOR WIHDRAWING SPENT AIRTHEREFROM, CONVEYOR MEANS IN EACH WORKING CHAMBER ABOVE THE ASSOCIATEDRACK FOR CONVEYING MALT THEREONTO, MALT TURNOVER MEANS ADJACENT SAIDCONVEYOR MEANS FOR TURING OVER THE MALT ON EACH RACK, INDIVIDUAL DRIVEMEANS ON THE OUTSIDE OF SAID WORKING CHAMBERS ADJACENT EACH CONVEYORMEANS FOR TURING OVER THE MALT ON THE ASSOCIATED RACK DURING HEATING ANDGERMINATING THEREOF, SAID RACKS BEING MOUNTED FOR TURNING MOVEMENT ABOUTSAID WORKING CHAMBERS AND TURING THEREABOUT DURING DRYING ANDGERMINATING OF THE MALT AND BEING INDIVIDUALLY DRIVEN AND ACCOMMODATINGTHE CIRCULATION OF AIR THERETHROUGH.
 2. The malt drying and germinatingapparatus of claim 1, wherein the air circulating means on the outsideof the working chambers also includes a plurality of side-by-side outletstacks having communication with said air outlet ducts for drawing airtherefrom.
 3. The malt drying and germinating apparatus of claim 2,wherein at least one of said side-by-side stacks has a horizontalpartition therein adjacent the bottom and top of each working chamber,and wherein the air circulating means comprises an air circulatingblower between said top and bottom partitions for recirculating air insaid working chambers.
 4. The malt drying and germinating apparatus ofclaim 2, wherein at least one of said side-by-side outlet stacks has aduct therein for each working chamber to accommodate the passing ofspent air to the atmosphere.
 5. The malt drying and germinatingapparatus of claim 1, wherein a baffle in the form of a verticallymovable floor is movably mounted in said central stack to direct heatedair into selected of said working chambers.